Latest news with #SafeWork
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Health
- The Advertiser
Electric shocks, slips and mould: SafeWork serves notice to hospital
SafeWork has cracked down on the dangerous work environment at the Calvary Mater Hospital, ordering several issues to be fixed. Hunter New England Health has been issued with an improvement notice, which found it had failed to ensure reasonable health and safety due to risks of "slips, electric shock and inhalation of mould spores from rain water ingress and humidity". The notice, which also found the contractual building management system was inadequate, was served to HNEH as the owners of the building. The SafeWork order comes after NSW Health Minister Ryan Park met with the hospital's administrators to discuss a mould outbreak in the building's airconditioners, including in a ward with immunocompromised patients. The Newcastle Herald recently revealed SafeWork inspected the hospital in April, but missed the issues, including leaks that caused internal flooding and forced chemotherapy treatments to be cancelled. NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said despite the improvement notice, the hospital's work environment remained dangerous to staff and patients. "We're glad to to see progress, but we'll be feeling a lot better when the problems are actually fixed," Ms Smith said. "We shouldn't have got here in the first place. We've been let down by the lack of transparency and staff don't trust the management of the building." The lack of action to fix the Mater's ongoing issues has brought the hospital's complicated management structure under scrutiny. The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership (PPP) by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare director James Ward said the company couldn't comment as it was "bound by confidentiality requirements", and any response would need approval from the state government. HNEH and the NSW Health Minister have repeatedly stated Novacare was responsible for the hospital's infrastructure and maintenance. "Minister Park and [Calvary Health Care CEO] Martin Bowles both agreed that it needs to be resolved as a matter of priority and urgency," a spokesperson for the Health Minister said. "Work is being undertaken to address the situation as quickly as possible." In March, the government passed Joe's Law to ban future PPPs for the state's acute hospitals after the death of a toddler at Northern Beaches Hospital. Mr Park has previously stated he does not support PPPs for future acute hospitals. Ms Smith said Mater's maintenance mess was more evidence PPPs were no longer fit for purpose. "You've got a private company trying to make a profit of managing an acute care hospital, so when problems arise and money needs to be spent, no one wants to foot the bill," she said. HNEH confirmed it had received the SafeWork notice and was working with its partners and contractors, including NovaCare, to determine appropriate remediations. SafeWork has cracked down on the dangerous work environment at the Calvary Mater Hospital, ordering several issues to be fixed. Hunter New England Health has been issued with an improvement notice, which found it had failed to ensure reasonable health and safety due to risks of "slips, electric shock and inhalation of mould spores from rain water ingress and humidity". The notice, which also found the contractual building management system was inadequate, was served to HNEH as the owners of the building. The SafeWork order comes after NSW Health Minister Ryan Park met with the hospital's administrators to discuss a mould outbreak in the building's airconditioners, including in a ward with immunocompromised patients. The Newcastle Herald recently revealed SafeWork inspected the hospital in April, but missed the issues, including leaks that caused internal flooding and forced chemotherapy treatments to be cancelled. NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said despite the improvement notice, the hospital's work environment remained dangerous to staff and patients. "We're glad to to see progress, but we'll be feeling a lot better when the problems are actually fixed," Ms Smith said. "We shouldn't have got here in the first place. We've been let down by the lack of transparency and staff don't trust the management of the building." The lack of action to fix the Mater's ongoing issues has brought the hospital's complicated management structure under scrutiny. The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership (PPP) by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare director James Ward said the company couldn't comment as it was "bound by confidentiality requirements", and any response would need approval from the state government. HNEH and the NSW Health Minister have repeatedly stated Novacare was responsible for the hospital's infrastructure and maintenance. "Minister Park and [Calvary Health Care CEO] Martin Bowles both agreed that it needs to be resolved as a matter of priority and urgency," a spokesperson for the Health Minister said. "Work is being undertaken to address the situation as quickly as possible." In March, the government passed Joe's Law to ban future PPPs for the state's acute hospitals after the death of a toddler at Northern Beaches Hospital. Mr Park has previously stated he does not support PPPs for future acute hospitals. Ms Smith said Mater's maintenance mess was more evidence PPPs were no longer fit for purpose. "You've got a private company trying to make a profit of managing an acute care hospital, so when problems arise and money needs to be spent, no one wants to foot the bill," she said. HNEH confirmed it had received the SafeWork notice and was working with its partners and contractors, including NovaCare, to determine appropriate remediations. SafeWork has cracked down on the dangerous work environment at the Calvary Mater Hospital, ordering several issues to be fixed. Hunter New England Health has been issued with an improvement notice, which found it had failed to ensure reasonable health and safety due to risks of "slips, electric shock and inhalation of mould spores from rain water ingress and humidity". The notice, which also found the contractual building management system was inadequate, was served to HNEH as the owners of the building. The SafeWork order comes after NSW Health Minister Ryan Park met with the hospital's administrators to discuss a mould outbreak in the building's airconditioners, including in a ward with immunocompromised patients. The Newcastle Herald recently revealed SafeWork inspected the hospital in April, but missed the issues, including leaks that caused internal flooding and forced chemotherapy treatments to be cancelled. NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said despite the improvement notice, the hospital's work environment remained dangerous to staff and patients. "We're glad to to see progress, but we'll be feeling a lot better when the problems are actually fixed," Ms Smith said. "We shouldn't have got here in the first place. We've been let down by the lack of transparency and staff don't trust the management of the building." The lack of action to fix the Mater's ongoing issues has brought the hospital's complicated management structure under scrutiny. The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership (PPP) by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare director James Ward said the company couldn't comment as it was "bound by confidentiality requirements", and any response would need approval from the state government. HNEH and the NSW Health Minister have repeatedly stated Novacare was responsible for the hospital's infrastructure and maintenance. "Minister Park and [Calvary Health Care CEO] Martin Bowles both agreed that it needs to be resolved as a matter of priority and urgency," a spokesperson for the Health Minister said. "Work is being undertaken to address the situation as quickly as possible." In March, the government passed Joe's Law to ban future PPPs for the state's acute hospitals after the death of a toddler at Northern Beaches Hospital. Mr Park has previously stated he does not support PPPs for future acute hospitals. Ms Smith said Mater's maintenance mess was more evidence PPPs were no longer fit for purpose. "You've got a private company trying to make a profit of managing an acute care hospital, so when problems arise and money needs to be spent, no one wants to foot the bill," she said. HNEH confirmed it had received the SafeWork notice and was working with its partners and contractors, including NovaCare, to determine appropriate remediations. SafeWork has cracked down on the dangerous work environment at the Calvary Mater Hospital, ordering several issues to be fixed. Hunter New England Health has been issued with an improvement notice, which found it had failed to ensure reasonable health and safety due to risks of "slips, electric shock and inhalation of mould spores from rain water ingress and humidity". The notice, which also found the contractual building management system was inadequate, was served to HNEH as the owners of the building. The SafeWork order comes after NSW Health Minister Ryan Park met with the hospital's administrators to discuss a mould outbreak in the building's airconditioners, including in a ward with immunocompromised patients. The Newcastle Herald recently revealed SafeWork inspected the hospital in April, but missed the issues, including leaks that caused internal flooding and forced chemotherapy treatments to be cancelled. NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said despite the improvement notice, the hospital's work environment remained dangerous to staff and patients. "We're glad to to see progress, but we'll be feeling a lot better when the problems are actually fixed," Ms Smith said. "We shouldn't have got here in the first place. We've been let down by the lack of transparency and staff don't trust the management of the building." The lack of action to fix the Mater's ongoing issues has brought the hospital's complicated management structure under scrutiny. The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership (PPP) by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare director James Ward said the company couldn't comment as it was "bound by confidentiality requirements", and any response would need approval from the state government. HNEH and the NSW Health Minister have repeatedly stated Novacare was responsible for the hospital's infrastructure and maintenance. "Minister Park and [Calvary Health Care CEO] Martin Bowles both agreed that it needs to be resolved as a matter of priority and urgency," a spokesperson for the Health Minister said. "Work is being undertaken to address the situation as quickly as possible." In March, the government passed Joe's Law to ban future PPPs for the state's acute hospitals after the death of a toddler at Northern Beaches Hospital. Mr Park has previously stated he does not support PPPs for future acute hospitals. Ms Smith said Mater's maintenance mess was more evidence PPPs were no longer fit for purpose. "You've got a private company trying to make a profit of managing an acute care hospital, so when problems arise and money needs to be spent, no one wants to foot the bill," she said. HNEH confirmed it had received the SafeWork notice and was working with its partners and contractors, including NovaCare, to determine appropriate remediations.
ABC News
27-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
Adventure sector facing trained worker shortfall after TAFE NSW scraps ropes courses
New South Wales' outdoor adventure and education sector is struggling to secure enough trained workers, two years after TAFE NSW discontinued a number of ropes training units. A Certificate III or IV in Outdoor Leadership includes elective courses in skills such as top rope climbing and belaying, which are core for those wanting to work in the adventure tourism sector. Business owners said the units in rope safety and awareness were critical for those wanting to work in canyoning or rock climbing, but students enrolled in the outdoor certificates through TAFE NSW had been unable to complete the modules in recent years. Outdoors NSW & ACT chief executive Lorie Modde said an unfortunate tragedy might have prompted TAFE NSW to suspend the elective ropes courses, but lamented the lack of information surrounding it. In October 2022, a student studying outdoor leadership died during a rope training course in the Blue Mountains. SafeWork investigated and reported the death was linked to a rope release issue, but concluded no further action would be taken. "We've been waiting since 2022 to find out what we could learn … to make sure there are better systems and better processes to go forward," Ms Modde said. "Of a workforce that's over 50,000 people, roping is one of the mandatory requirements we need for school camps." Ms Modde said nature therapy and tourism also needed trained guides. A TAFE NSW spokesperson said elective roping units had not been offered since 2022 "following an assessment of the feasibility and level of student demand". "It is standard practice for TAFE NSW to regularly review its course offerings, while continuing to meet the demands of students and industry," they said. Ms Modde rejected that, and said the industry had a shortfall of about 3,300 workers across full-time, part-time and casual roles that required roping skills, according to a 2025 industry survey. "TAFE NSW's withdrawal effectively turns its back on a wide web of industries and communities who rely on this training for safety and service delivery," Ms Modde told ABC Radio Sydney. The Blue Mountains is a hub for adventure tourism, with 4.4 million visitors each year, according to Destination NSW. More than 47,000 of those visitors take part in activities requiring trained guides, according to figures from Outdoors NSW & ACT. While ropes training is no longer available through TAFE NSW, students can choose to complete individual units — or the entire outdoor leadership course — at private institutions across Australia, with domestic course fees ranging up to $18,600 for the Certificate IV. But the site of private training providers can make this complicated, with the closest available to the Blue Mountains located 165 kilometres away in Lake Macquarie. Hugh Ward is an owner and director at the Blue Mountains Climbing School, which relies on part-time and casual staff to run recreational climbing and canyoning courses, as well as guided experiences for school and corporate groups. He said the decision to stop ropes training was complicated but was "choking off the supply line" of people equipped to handle complex outdoor situations. "My sense is that adventure tourism is growing in the mountains, [but] the [training course] places are becoming harder to get," he said. He noted the lack of any fee-free training at TAFE NSW as a primary driver of missing qualifications. Mr Ward described TAFE NSW's consultation with the sector as having "no straight answers" and said the characterisation of student demand was not a "true and accurate representation". "Our day-to-day is OK. Where it gets complicated is when we have a few trips out … we have to say no to things," he said. TAFE NSW said it had consulted with the adventure tourism industry on the changes as recently as last month. Blue Mountains Adventure Company manager Andy Mein echoed the concerns and said "all available guides" were needed for school programs, with the business "struggling" to meet demand for skilled guides with any further growth. Mr Mein said as previous TAFE graduates naturally moved to other areas or jobs, no rope trained guides would fill the void and businesses would be forced to restrict what they could offer. Though the flow-on effects of restricting visitor numbers were the main economic concern for the sector, Mr Ward said the mental health, risk management and communication skills developed in the outdoors benefited everyone.
The Advertiser
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
Hospital cancels chemo treatment due to leaks SafeWork inspection failed to flag
The Calvary Mater was forced to cancel chemotherapy treatments this week due to internal flooding caused by severe leaks, which a SafeWork NSW inspection last month seemingly missed. The leaks have been a persistent problem for years and in the past four months have become so bad that leaking windows are being patched up with plastic garbage bags and drained into bins. During the heavy rain on Monday, the hospital had to cancel day treatments, including chemotherapy and other infusions, due to patient safety. One of the recovery ward bays is permanently closed due to the leaks, while the electrical panels near another must be regularly turned off. Staff have labelled the tearoom "the Mater waterfall", due to the four plastic bags hanging from walls to funnel water into buckets. But when SafeWork inspected the site on April 11, no concerns were raised regarding the leaks, the garbage bag patching or the dangerous aspergillus mould outbreak in the hospital's air-conditioning system. The watchdog was called to inspect the hospital regarding potential electrical issues. SafeWork says no concerns were raised during the inspection regarding mould and refused to answer any questions regarding other issues, including the leaks and electrical work. "SafeWork NSW enquiries are ongoing. No further comment can be made at this time," a spokesperson said. Following the Newcastle Herald's inquiries last week, SafeWork inspected the hospital's leaks on Monday. NSW Nurses and Midwives (NSWNMA) Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said the situation was "appalling" and "a constant battle". "This is getting worse and worse, yet they continue to make us work in this dangerous environment," Ms Smith said. "You walk in thinking what's today going to look like, if it's safe to come to work and if your patients. That's the stuff on your mind every day." Despite the recent inspection, Ms Smith "didn't leave the meeting [with SafeWork] thinking things were going to change". "I'm sick of hearing there's no budget to fix this. That's not a reasonable answer," she said. It's not the first time the NSWNMA has raised concerns about SafeWork. Last year, the union slammed the effectiveness of the inspections in Auditor-General's review of the organisation. "The Association is observing inspectors attend health premises where there are clear breaches of the WHS legislation without issuing an Improvement or Prohibition Notice," the submission stated. In the past 12 months, SafeWork has received four complaints about the Mater, along with notification of two incidents. Inspectors have also previously visited the site in relation to a complaint about overcrowding in the emergency department. The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare subcontracted its hard facilities management to Honeywell, who ignored the Herald's questions and has previously directed them to the state government. Hunter New England Health (HNEH), who provides in-patient and clinical services at the Mater, reiterated Novcare was responsible for the hospital's maintenance. "We remain focused on protecting the health and safety of our patients, staff, and visitors, and are working closely with both Novacare and Calvary Mater Newcastle to address the current facility management issues and ensure all required standards are met," a HNEH spokesperson said. The Calvary Mater was forced to cancel chemotherapy treatments this week due to internal flooding caused by severe leaks, which a SafeWork NSW inspection last month seemingly missed. The leaks have been a persistent problem for years and in the past four months have become so bad that leaking windows are being patched up with plastic garbage bags and drained into bins. During the heavy rain on Monday, the hospital had to cancel day treatments, including chemotherapy and other infusions, due to patient safety. One of the recovery ward bays is permanently closed due to the leaks, while the electrical panels near another must be regularly turned off. Staff have labelled the tearoom "the Mater waterfall", due to the four plastic bags hanging from walls to funnel water into buckets. But when SafeWork inspected the site on April 11, no concerns were raised regarding the leaks, the garbage bag patching or the dangerous aspergillus mould outbreak in the hospital's air-conditioning system. The watchdog was called to inspect the hospital regarding potential electrical issues. SafeWork says no concerns were raised during the inspection regarding mould and refused to answer any questions regarding other issues, including the leaks and electrical work. "SafeWork NSW enquiries are ongoing. No further comment can be made at this time," a spokesperson said. Following the Newcastle Herald's inquiries last week, SafeWork inspected the hospital's leaks on Monday. NSW Nurses and Midwives (NSWNMA) Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said the situation was "appalling" and "a constant battle". "This is getting worse and worse, yet they continue to make us work in this dangerous environment," Ms Smith said. "You walk in thinking what's today going to look like, if it's safe to come to work and if your patients. That's the stuff on your mind every day." Despite the recent inspection, Ms Smith "didn't leave the meeting [with SafeWork] thinking things were going to change". "I'm sick of hearing there's no budget to fix this. That's not a reasonable answer," she said. It's not the first time the NSWNMA has raised concerns about SafeWork. Last year, the union slammed the effectiveness of the inspections in Auditor-General's review of the organisation. "The Association is observing inspectors attend health premises where there are clear breaches of the WHS legislation without issuing an Improvement or Prohibition Notice," the submission stated. In the past 12 months, SafeWork has received four complaints about the Mater, along with notification of two incidents. Inspectors have also previously visited the site in relation to a complaint about overcrowding in the emergency department. The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare subcontracted its hard facilities management to Honeywell, who ignored the Herald's questions and has previously directed them to the state government. Hunter New England Health (HNEH), who provides in-patient and clinical services at the Mater, reiterated Novcare was responsible for the hospital's maintenance. "We remain focused on protecting the health and safety of our patients, staff, and visitors, and are working closely with both Novacare and Calvary Mater Newcastle to address the current facility management issues and ensure all required standards are met," a HNEH spokesperson said. The Calvary Mater was forced to cancel chemotherapy treatments this week due to internal flooding caused by severe leaks, which a SafeWork NSW inspection last month seemingly missed. The leaks have been a persistent problem for years and in the past four months have become so bad that leaking windows are being patched up with plastic garbage bags and drained into bins. During the heavy rain on Monday, the hospital had to cancel day treatments, including chemotherapy and other infusions, due to patient safety. One of the recovery ward bays is permanently closed due to the leaks, while the electrical panels near another must be regularly turned off. Staff have labelled the tearoom "the Mater waterfall", due to the four plastic bags hanging from walls to funnel water into buckets. But when SafeWork inspected the site on April 11, no concerns were raised regarding the leaks, the garbage bag patching or the dangerous aspergillus mould outbreak in the hospital's air-conditioning system. The watchdog was called to inspect the hospital regarding potential electrical issues. SafeWork says no concerns were raised during the inspection regarding mould and refused to answer any questions regarding other issues, including the leaks and electrical work. "SafeWork NSW enquiries are ongoing. No further comment can be made at this time," a spokesperson said. Following the Newcastle Herald's inquiries last week, SafeWork inspected the hospital's leaks on Monday. NSW Nurses and Midwives (NSWNMA) Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said the situation was "appalling" and "a constant battle". "This is getting worse and worse, yet they continue to make us work in this dangerous environment," Ms Smith said. "You walk in thinking what's today going to look like, if it's safe to come to work and if your patients. That's the stuff on your mind every day." Despite the recent inspection, Ms Smith "didn't leave the meeting [with SafeWork] thinking things were going to change". "I'm sick of hearing there's no budget to fix this. That's not a reasonable answer," she said. It's not the first time the NSWNMA has raised concerns about SafeWork. Last year, the union slammed the effectiveness of the inspections in Auditor-General's review of the organisation. "The Association is observing inspectors attend health premises where there are clear breaches of the WHS legislation without issuing an Improvement or Prohibition Notice," the submission stated. In the past 12 months, SafeWork has received four complaints about the Mater, along with notification of two incidents. Inspectors have also previously visited the site in relation to a complaint about overcrowding in the emergency department. The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare subcontracted its hard facilities management to Honeywell, who ignored the Herald's questions and has previously directed them to the state government. Hunter New England Health (HNEH), who provides in-patient and clinical services at the Mater, reiterated Novcare was responsible for the hospital's maintenance. "We remain focused on protecting the health and safety of our patients, staff, and visitors, and are working closely with both Novacare and Calvary Mater Newcastle to address the current facility management issues and ensure all required standards are met," a HNEH spokesperson said. The Calvary Mater was forced to cancel chemotherapy treatments this week due to internal flooding caused by severe leaks, which a SafeWork NSW inspection last month seemingly missed. The leaks have been a persistent problem for years and in the past four months have become so bad that leaking windows are being patched up with plastic garbage bags and drained into bins. During the heavy rain on Monday, the hospital had to cancel day treatments, including chemotherapy and other infusions, due to patient safety. One of the recovery ward bays is permanently closed due to the leaks, while the electrical panels near another must be regularly turned off. Staff have labelled the tearoom "the Mater waterfall", due to the four plastic bags hanging from walls to funnel water into buckets. But when SafeWork inspected the site on April 11, no concerns were raised regarding the leaks, the garbage bag patching or the dangerous aspergillus mould outbreak in the hospital's air-conditioning system. The watchdog was called to inspect the hospital regarding potential electrical issues. SafeWork says no concerns were raised during the inspection regarding mould and refused to answer any questions regarding other issues, including the leaks and electrical work. "SafeWork NSW enquiries are ongoing. No further comment can be made at this time," a spokesperson said. Following the Newcastle Herald's inquiries last week, SafeWork inspected the hospital's leaks on Monday. NSW Nurses and Midwives (NSWNMA) Calvary Mater branch secretary Camilla Smith said the situation was "appalling" and "a constant battle". "This is getting worse and worse, yet they continue to make us work in this dangerous environment," Ms Smith said. "You walk in thinking what's today going to look like, if it's safe to come to work and if your patients. That's the stuff on your mind every day." Despite the recent inspection, Ms Smith "didn't leave the meeting [with SafeWork] thinking things were going to change". "I'm sick of hearing there's no budget to fix this. That's not a reasonable answer," she said. It's not the first time the NSWNMA has raised concerns about SafeWork. Last year, the union slammed the effectiveness of the inspections in Auditor-General's review of the organisation. "The Association is observing inspectors attend health premises where there are clear breaches of the WHS legislation without issuing an Improvement or Prohibition Notice," the submission stated. In the past 12 months, SafeWork has received four complaints about the Mater, along with notification of two incidents. Inspectors have also previously visited the site in relation to a complaint about overcrowding in the emergency department. The Mater is managed under a public-private partnership by a consortium called Novacare, which is composed of four companies: Westpac Banking, Abigroup, Honeywell and Medirest. Novacare subcontracted its hard facilities management to Honeywell, who ignored the Herald's questions and has previously directed them to the state government. Hunter New England Health (HNEH), who provides in-patient and clinical services at the Mater, reiterated Novcare was responsible for the hospital's maintenance. "We remain focused on protecting the health and safety of our patients, staff, and visitors, and are working closely with both Novacare and Calvary Mater Newcastle to address the current facility management issues and ensure all required standards are met," a HNEH spokesperson said.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Young couple's ordeal exposes hidden danger in home renovation trend: 'Anxious'
A growing number of Aussies are keen to showoff their renovation skills online as they navigate first-time home ownership. However a perfectly innocuous moment between one couple has highlighted the potential hidden danger of doing it yourself after they unwittingly got up close and personal with materials that likely contained asbestos. Shai Howland and Nathan Greenshields recently bought an old home in South Australia and were spending their weekend pulling off old wallpaper when they suddenly realised they were putting themselves at serious risk. "I had mentioned to my partner about the amount of dust in the room which prompted him to research the wallpaper we were taking down," Shai told Yahoo News, recalling the moment when the penny dropped. "He looked up whether there was anything to be cautious about when taking down old wallpaper. It was then he found that there was a likely chance the wallpaper and adhesive had been made using asbestos." The moment of revelation was captured on camera, with the pair wearing shorts and tops without any protective clothing or masks on at the time. "We had already ripped sheets down, we were immediately concerned we had now disturbed the particles, and were exposed without any protective clothing," Shai said, saying it was a harsh lesson about "being non-diligent". "Anxiety ... and a lot of asbestos Google searches later, we've learnt our lesson." Asbestos was commonly used in building materials throughout the 1900s and it was added to wallpaper because of its durability and fire-resistance, particularly in vinyl wallpaper used in rooms that got hot, such as kitchens and bathrooms. It is "highly likely" homes built in South Australia before the mid-1980s include asbestos-containing materials, according to the state's SafeWork website. In New South Wales, 1 in 3 homes constructed between 1945 and 1990 are estimated to contain asbestos, and in Queensland it's not any better — with asbestos used as a binding product for a wide range of building materials in a 40-year period during the century. 🧐 Tradie calls out dodgy detail on new build costing thousands 😩 Major change for 800,000 homeowners facing 'stressful' issue 🤑 Council to pay homeowners $200 every year to save trees Asbestos can be found in walls, roofs, electrical boxes, fences, bathrooms, kitchens, wallpaper and under floors, and while the law does not require homeowners to have licences to remove asbestos-containing materials, the risk to health is huge. Disturbing materials that contain asbestos can result in the dusty particles contaminating a property and, when breathed in, can cause serious or even fatal diseases such as lung cancer or asbestosis. A short period of exposure is all it takes. This was the case for Steve Wilcockson who was exposed to asbestos for just a few weeks when he was 14. The Sydney man later died aged 72 after developing mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer linked to asbestos inhalation. While many Aussies taking part in online home renovation trends are trying to update their homes on a budget, the safest course of action is to get an expert for asbestos removal. Or, at the very least, to identify if their home has asbestos in it before rolling up their sleeves. It can be assumed that asbestos is in wallpaper when it has flexible curls in the upper corners or it looks to have a vinyl or plastic coating with a paper backing. Markers also include the property being built before 1980 or the wallpaper's manufacturing label is dated between the known decades asbestos was commonly in use. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
The Guardian
30-01-2025
- The Guardian
Powergel is believed to be the explosive found in a Sydney caravan. What is it?
Counter-terrorism police in New South Wales are investigating after a caravan laden with explosives was found at a residential property in greater Sydney. NSW police said on Wednesday there were indications the explosives – enough to create a 40-metre blast zone – would be used in an antisemitic attack. Police also said they believed the explosives were Powergel, potentially obtained from a mining site. Powergel is the brand name for a range of explosive products used in mining. Trademarked by Orica, an Australian-based multinational and one of the world's largest providers of commercial explosives, the products mainly consist of ammonium nitrate, a compound widely used in explosives and fertiliser. Powergel can be cream, grey or black in colour with 'a firm putty-like consistency', according to information on Orica's website. It is packaged in plastic 'sausages' with wire clips at either end. Orica was contacted for comment. Powergel is used as an explosive in a range of mining settings, including in open-cut coal and metal mines, underground mines, and quarrying. It is mainly made of ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in fertiliser to provide a source of nitrogen for plants. On its own, ammonium nitrate is a stable chemical at room temperature and requires extreme conditions – such as heavy impact or high heat – for explosion. But ammonium nitrate becomes very explosive when mixed with fuel oil such as diesel, which is often the case for mining explosives, according to Gabriel da Silva, an associate professor of chemical engineering at the University of Melbourne. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email 'In an explosion, you need a release of gas and a release of energy. The ammonium nitrate decomposes to create a lot of gas, and the fuel oil in the presence of oxygen [from the ammonium nitrate] releases a lot of energy,' he said. Da Silva said explosives used in mining such as Powergel were usually not 'primary explosives', or contact explosives, which are extremely sensitive to heat, impact and friction. 'You would need some high explosive, like a blast cap, to detonate [Powergel] to initiate the explosion.' He added that prepackaged explosives such as Powergel were typically 'sensitised' – or made more explosive – with gas bubbles or small voids 'that helps the shock wave propagate through the material … to then get a true explosion'. NSW police commissioner Karen Webb told media on Thursday: 'Whilst the explosive material was found in that caravan, there was no detonator with the caravan.' Powergel also contains sodium perchlorate, an electrolyte which is not required for explosion. In NSW, anyone who wants to use and store explosive substances must first apply to SafeWork for a licence. Licence applicants must first obtain security clearance in order to gain 'unsupervised access to explosives, explosive precursors or concentrated ammonium nitrate', according to SafeWork's website. Under the NSW Explosives Act, blasting explosives licence holders are able to use up to 50kg of blasting explosives and 100kg of ammonium nitrate a day. Anyone wanting to store more than 2.5kg of blasting explosives and 50kg of ammonium nitrate overnight must also apply for storage approval. 'A blasting explosive user licence holder must not allow people to have unsupervised access to explosives or security sensitive dangerous substances unless they hold a valid security clearance,' SafeWork's website reads. 'If they do have some of those packaged sausage-type explosives, the fact that they managed to get their hands on some of that … is of incredible concern,' da Silva said. 'The controls on those and the paperwork is that needed to manage that is very extensive.' SafeWork NSW was contacted for comment.
